The challenge: reducing cost per acquisition and increasing patient volume in pediatric orthopedics
Our client, a leading pediatric health system, had an established orthopedics SEM campaign that was generating steady demand. While performance was stable, growth was beginning to lag. The existing SEM campaign was structured for a broader market and lacked location-specific targeting. As a result, budget allocation didn’t always align with local demand and high-growth locations were underleveraged.
Addressing missed opportunities in the local market
This created a common challenge we see when clients reach out to Unlock: reliable campaign performance, but limited efficiency and missed opportunities at the market level.
To address this, our team focused on three key goals:
- Reduce cost per acquisition (CPA)
- Increase patient volume at targeted locations
- Maintain strong performance from existing SEM campaigns
The Unlock solution
Combining evergreen and localized SEM campaigns
To achieve these goals, Unlock Health restructured the SEM program to better reflect how demand varies by market. Search behavior, competition, and conversion patterns differ significantly by location.
A single, broad SEM strategy can’t fully capture those differences.
To remedy this, we implemented a dual approach that balanced consistency with market-level precision. At its foundation, the evergreen orthopedics campaign remained in place to capture ongoing high-intent demand and maintain baseline performance. From there, we built localized campaigns in two priority markets to drive targeted growth.
Each campaign was tailored to its specific market, with adjustments to:
- Keyword strategy based on local search behavior
- Customized messaging and ad copy aligned to patient needs in each community
- Bidding strategies reflecting competitive dynamics
- Budget allocation tied to performance and opportunity
This approach using paid media allowed the pediatric health system to maintain consistent patient volume. It also improved efficiency and increased visibility in high-growth locations.
The results
decrease in CPA year over year for the general orthopedics campaign
and $109 location-specific CPAs (compared to a $350 benchmark)
Increased patient volumes at targeted practices
Impression share growth in one market grew from 28% in the first month to 63% by the end of the year
Why location-based healthcare SEM strategies work for service line growth
This case study shows how location-based SEM strategies can improve performance and support scalable growth by:
- Aligning campaigns with local search behavior to improve performance
- Using location-specific targeting to reduce CPA and increase efficiency
- Balancing evergreen and localized campaigns to support both broad visibility and targeted growth
- Scaling campaigns across markets and service lines to drive continued growth
What this means for your organization
If your SEM strategy treats every market the same, you may be:
- Overspending in some areas
- Missing demand in others
- Limiting overall growth
The opportunity is already there. Your strategy just needs to match.